Vodacom Bulls 38, Blues 22

It is likely to be two very contrasting styles, as the Bulls hope to rain on the Blues’ parade.

In their four-try demolition of the Crusaders last week the Blues showed just how dangerous they can be.However, the weather predictions suggest conditions may not favour their free-running game – mostly cloudy, with a couple of showers and a thunderstorm late in the afternoon.

The Bulls’ set pieces have been solid – a 92 percent success rate at scrum time and 90 percent in the line-outs.In stark contrast, the Blues have not started the season well in the set pieces – 57 percent in the scrums and 78 percent in line-outs. However, the men from Pretoria have scored only two tries in three matches and the Blues seven in two.

“Defence will definitely be very important,” Bulls coach Frans Ludeke told this website in an interview.

He pointed out that against both the Highlanders in Round Two (even though they lost after leaving the charge a bit late) and the Crusaders last week the Blues came back strongly after trailing by some margin early in the game. “They may have left it a little late in that game against the Highlanders, but against a quality team like the Crusaders they showed just how dangerous they can be in broken play,” Ludeke said.

“We have to control possession, tactically we have to be very good – play in the right areas and ensure we have good defensive lines.” The Bulls mentor spoke of requiring “an enormous team effort”.

Blues coach John Kirwan said that after playing two games against New Zealand opposition this season, the Bulls would pose a completely different challenge and that his team needed to brace themselves for a bruising encounter. “The difference when you play in South Africa is the brutality of the contact,” Kirwan said.

“They’re big men, they drive sometimes in twos, when they’ve got the ball they love the physicality of the rucks so they’ll fly into them and you just need to be ready for that. “They play a very simple game that they know very well – lots of mauling, lots of high kicks and lots of pressure underneath that so we just need to be ready and make sure we can combat that.

“I think the game plan and the way we play will challenge them, we just need to be up for the physical battle.”

This type of performance might even convince Americano to support the Bulls. Brendon is a lost case, he just wants heltor sceltor at all times, they are really suprising me this Bulls team, amasing what a change at lock, flyhalf and 6 can do. Shows just how undervalued Stegmann is.

Wow this ref was poor. After making me swear for most of the second half because he has to wait for Assistant referee to make a decision, he goes and gifts us a BP on what should be a penalty to the Blues.

Most ironic is how the pundits over estimate the Blues and underestimate the Bulls, year after year.
The Blues have a reputation for running, Bulls for kicking.
“Running is better than kicking”, goes the preconceived idea.
Decades of evidence to the contrary be dammed.